This invention relates to a transparent protective laser shield which is adapted to be interposed between the laser beam and a viewer for protecting the viewer from damage by laser beam radiation, and more particularly, to such a shield against multiple wave lengths in which the absorption wave lengths are adjustably matched to that of laser beams of the type which the viewer is to be protected against.
In many medical, industrial, and other applications, the laser beam is employed for cutting, fusing, and other functions which may cause contact with the eye either by direct viewing or reflection from the object being worked on. Since the eye collects and focuses the energy, and since the laser beam is generally concentrated, considerable damage can result from the application of this energy to the optic nerve. The same is true in industrial applications when the viewer happens to be a light sensitive detector which may be monitoring the particular operation being performed by the laser. In such applications the laser energy which may use different lasers having different wave lengths may not be the wave lengths of interest, and therefore the application of the concentrated laser beams onto the detector may in fact destroy the detector and prevent the monitoring of the particular operation in other wave lengths. Accordingly, in this and other applications, it would be very advantageous to be able to view the laser beam and its environment without being subjected to the danger of the concentrated laser beam energy. In so viewing the laser beam through a suitable protective window, shield, or visor, it will also be extremely advantageous to be able to adjust the various wave lengths absorbed within certain narrow limits so that the construction of the particular protective shield may be varied slightly to exactly conform in its absorption characteristics with that of multiple laser beams to which the viewer is subjected and wishes to be protected against. The elimination of these very narrow and specific wave lengths will not generally detract from or make the passed broad band of optical radiation unintelligible.